


Jughead’s Return

by bugheadfluff



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Betty Cooper Loves Jughead Jones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Endgame Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy Ending, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Jughead Jones Loves Betty Cooper, Love, Protective Jughead Jones, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Smut, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-14 20:45:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15397098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugheadfluff/pseuds/bugheadfluff
Summary: Jughead Jones had always loved Betty Cooper, even when she was out chasing after the wrong boys or torturing Chuck Clayton in a hot jacuzzi. He didn’t care, he would be there for her if she wanted him to be or if she didn’t. Until one day, when he joins the Southside Serpents, gradually getting in too deep, tangling in a mixture of trouble and anger where escaping is almost impossible, but Jughead could never forget Betty Cooper... hell he could never get her out of his head. How will our princess react when he comes back?





	1. Chapter 1

Jughead Jones had always loved Betty Cooper, even when she was out chasing after the wrong boys or torturing Chuck Clayton in a hot jacuzzi. He didn’t care, he would be there for her if she wanted him to be or if she didn’t. Until one day, when he joins the Southside Serpents, gradually getting in too deep, tangling in a mixture of trouble and anger where escaping is almost impossible.

Jughead Jones: Age 21  
Betty Cooper: Age 20 (Turning 21)  
Betty’s POV  
Betty went to visit Jughead Jones’ trailer, only to find that he wasn’t there. “Day 432” she marked on her notebook, sighing an exasperated sigh and sobbing slightly. This was how it had been for the past year or so. Betty would visit Jughead’s trailer every day only to find that he wasn’t there. She tried to convince herself that it didn’t matter he left, she tried to make herself believe that he left to find someone better than her. Of course, she never wanted Jughead to find someone better than her, she wanted to claim Jughead as her own forever, but there were many girls out there. Less damaged, less tense… less crazy. She wanted to stop feeling sorry for herself, she wanted to stop letting sadness rule her life, but she simply couldn’t. Jughead Jones had always been there for her, and she had always been too blind to notice him. She leaned on a wall, sliding down, bringing her arms to wrap around her legs. The circles under her eyes were obvious, (she hadn’t slept much since he left) and she looked exhausted. Her hair hadn’t been tied in the “iconic Betty Cooper” ponytail for what felt like months, and school stress became too much. She fell asleep. 

Jughead’s POV  
I had bought bus tickets to come to Riverdale months ago, planning to return and surprise Betty. I didn’t mean to leave for as long as I did, I didn’t mean to leave Betty with no explanation for the 432 days I was away. Each time I planned my arrival, everything seemed to crumble and my Serpent Gang seemed to need everything in the world. I was tired of the gang playing games with my plans. I know they don’t actually need what they say they do. They all just wanted to keep me from visiting my Northside Princess. They were all just scared I’d go back to the Northside again. They were right. I’m going back and I’m never looking back again. Betty was so much more important than this gang. I passed the mantle to Toni. 

When I entered my trailer after arriving in Riverdale, I was surprised to already see Betty on the floor sleeping. Her dried tears marking her cheeks and her body looking as pale as ever. She still looked beautiful. Never did I think it would be this easy to find her, I thought she would despise me and hide from me for as long as she could. Maybe she does and will, she was sleeping and unconscious after all. I picked her up in my arms and took her back home, already knowing that Alice Cooper, the Beast herself certainly would try to turn her daughter against me and ban me from ever seeing her again. I ignored her harsh words as I took Betty to her bedroom and kissed her forehead lightly being careful not to wake her. When I came out of her room, Alice started to lecture me. Making me feel as guilty as I had ever felt, and then kicked me out, telling her to never visit her, her daughter or her house again. So I left the house, or so she thought I did because just as Alice Cooper turned her back, I was climbing up a ladder, secretively and stealthily entering Betty’s bedroom. I wasn't about to just leave her without an explanation. 

I took a book from her bedside table, hoping she wouldn’t mind, and laid next to her on her bed, reading until she woke up. 

BETTY’S POV:   
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, feeling as confused as ever. I looked next to me, to see Jughead Jones lying beside me, sleeping peacefully with a book that I perceive he was reading, fallen to the floor.   
“Jughead?" I whispered, waking him.


	2. Chapter 2

“My mother banned you from the house?” I asked, my disbelief quickly melting into fury.  
I laid on my bed as he sat next to me. We were uncomfortably close for the number of cataclysmic events we had just gone through.  
His eyes were sad. “Did you expect anything else?”  
My eyes were mad. I was going to have a few words with my mother – perhaps it would be a good time to remind her that I was almost at the age of legal adulthood. It didn’t matter so much, of course, except in principle. All too soon there would be no reason for prohibition. I turned my head to less painful avenues.   
“How’s the Southside?” I asked, genuinely curious.  
“Do you really care?” He muttered, more or less to himself.  
“Should I?” I whispered, my anger and frustration slowly growing. Talking to Jughead wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to do.   
Moments passed, and my face grew concerned, “So,” I began, the tension in the room growing quickly. “What have you been doing, up until a few hours ago?” I said in an expressionless voice, with unmoving lips.  
His face turned wary and hard in an instant. “Nothing exciting” He growled, his anger more prominent then intended.   
My eyes tightened, I wanted to spark conversation, after all, he could leave again and go back to the Southside at any given moment. This temporary heaven was, in this stolen moment finally complete with his presence, warmth and sound of his voice.   
“I must be having a nightmare, you’re probably not real and I’m just sleeping” I whispered quietly, trying to keep my words to myself, although that had failed miserably.   
He hesitated; his face, shining with an odd green cast from the light of the clock, was torn. He looked upset and uncomfortable.   
“I- “He took a deep breath, his words flowed out quickly that I was surprised I could even keep up.   
“I owe you an apology. No, of course, I owe you more. Much, much more than that. But you have to know that I had no idea. I didn’t realize the mess I was leaving behind. I thought that it would have been safe for you here. With Archie, with your mother and Veronica. There’s no excuse, Betty. No excuse for what I let you go through and no excuse for what I left you to face. When I left to the Southside and separated myself from you, I thought that if you believed I was done, you would have moved on too. With somebody better than me and somebody worthier of you than me. I feel sick, sick to my core, and even now when I can see and feel you, I am still the most miserable-”  
“Stop,” I interrupted him. He stared at me with agonized eyes, and for once, I found myself speechless. I couldn’t find the words. I didn’t know if I could get them out without breaking down. But I had to do what I thought was right, or at least try to. I never wanted to remind him of guilt and anguish. He should be happy, no matter what.   
“Jughead,” I began, still not entirely knowing what I was saying. His name burnt my throat when it came out, and I could feel my nails digging into the flesh of my palms.   
“This has to stop now. You can’t keep blaming yourself for almost everything that happens to you or to anybody else. It was a childish thing to do, Jug, but I had promised you months ago that I would support you with anything you did, and I still do, but I’m not going to let this guilt run your life.  
You can’t think of things in that way and constantly twist your brain into thinking it’s your fault. Going to the Southside because of guilt was under-  
“Elizabeth Cooper” He whispered, the strangest expression slipping onto his face. He looked almost angry. He undid my balled fists, and looked up at me “Do you really believe that I went to the Southside because I felt guilty?  
I could feel the blank incomprehension on my face.

 

 

“I don’t understand”  
“Feel guilty? Intensely so. More than you could ever comprehend.”   
“Then…” I stuttered “What are you saying?”  
Betty, I went to the Serpents because I never thought I would ever be enough for you. I wanted to leave you for you. He said, his voice like velvet – if velvet could be rough.  
“I made mistake after mistake” he continued. “Just like Romeo.” He said, lightly gripping my chin, forcing me to look at him, although I tried my best to avoid his gaze.   
“Look at me” He instructed, his tone leaving no room for disobedience.  
I finally turned to face him, letting my whole body drown in his eyes. Something I hadn’t let myself do in what felt like ages.  
“I’m a good liar, Betts. I have to be, but what happened months ago left me confused too. You know I love you right?”  
I didn’t move my head, not wanting to make myself believe in something so good and pure for it to later be taken away from me.   
His hand slipped to the back of my neck, pulling me close so our lips were only inches apart. I looked away, trying to turn my neck. He ignored my struggles, still trying to pull me closer.  
“Please don’t” I whispered, tears grazing over my eyes  
“Why not?” he protested softly  
“When you leave again, it will be enough without this,” I said in a croaky voice, trying to blink away my tears.   
“You don’t trust me” He whispered.   
He stroked my shoulder with his hand. “Do you remember anything I told you when I broke up with you?”   
“I remember everything you told me that night.”   
His hands moved up, one caressing my right cheek, while the other lightly stroked my hair. Although he had no permission to hold me like he was now, I didn’t stop him. Perhaps somethings you know you'll regret later are still worth it when you're just in the moment.   
“It all wasn’t true. I love you, I’ve always loved you, I will always love you. I left to protect you” He said to me, his mouth pressed close against my ear. I could feel his hot breath on my neck.   
“I’m never leaving you again.”  
I sunk into him almost unconsciously. I let my tears ruin his white shirt until my head was on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. I could feel him move my body, positioning us in a much more comfortable state, his body under my own, my head in the perfect spot on his lean chest, my hair parted into one section, out of its quintessential ponytail. One of his arms wrapped around my waist while his other laid by his side, playing with my hair ever so softly as if it would be a sin to hurt even one strand. Jughead never said anything else that night. Maybe he wanted me to sleep. Maybe he has nothing to say. Nonetheless, I fell asleep in his arms, my chest rising with the rhythm on his. And, for once, Jughead had fallen asleep that night too, feeling like he had accomplished something, and he had. He accomplished something that not many others had ever accomplished. He not only saw Betty Cooper break down that night, but he also chased away her demons, chased away everything that had upset her that night. He fell asleep that night at peace, not worrying about the outside world and horrible state he could be in. Maybe for a limited period of time, they could be Romeo and Juliet, they could be the American dream. They could even be perfect.


End file.
